Guard against pool drownings

01.Take precautions to avoid pool tragedies

With temperatures soaring above 30°C, it’s natural instinct to jump into a swimming pool to get out of the blistering heat. But it’s a tragic nightmare for parents and the Royal Life Saving Society Australia (RLSSA) when children drown.

According to the RLSSA’s latest National Drowning Report, the number of children under four-years-old who drowned doubled to 32 between July last year and this June. And about 60% of the under-fours who drowned did so in swimming pools. This has prompted the RLSSA to issue a warning to pool owners to child-proof their swimming pools.

As part of its Keep Watch campaign – aimed at preventing drowning deaths of children in all aquatic locations – the RLSSA has created a free safety checklist online (www.homepoolsafety.com.au) which includes advice on how to check that your pool fences are secure, as well as safety tips such as informing all pool users where and how to switch off the pool/spa pump.

Be sure to check the CHOICE pool fence review as well, where five out of 16 failed to meet safety standards. We also give you the low-down of how each type of fence, such as flat top and loop top, stand up to safety standards and what exactly to look out for before you buy a pool fence.